Tierra Whack

Growing up people would tell me: 'Yo, you only can do one thing. If you're going to rap, just rap. If you're going to sing, just sing.' It boxed me in. But I just figured out a way to show everything. It's like if you have a job interview, you want to present as many skills as you have.

Me being dark-skinned, that was like a big thing. Growing up, I hated myself. It was, like, weird. Kids are cruel.

I have a really bad memory, to be honest.

Everything's so, like, saturated nowadays. So if you wanna, like, make an impact, you gotta do something different. Do something new.

I decided I wanted to use my real name 'Tierra Whack' when I decided I wanted to make music my career.

I don't really reach out, it has to be organic. If we're in a studio setting and we're feeling the vibe, that's cool, we can make something. Like, I've been in a bunch of sessions with people I haven't made music with. Like, I just chill. I'm not forcing it. I don't DM people like, 'Yooo, I'm trying to get on a track.'

I'm still so down to earth and regular. I still be in the projects, I still be in the hood - just regular.

I'm naturally all over the place and scatter-brained.

Once I have a wig on, I become a different person. You can't get Tierra back until the wig comes off.

I remember reading Dr. Seuss books, and he's rhyming so many words together and I just loved the way it sounded. It became a challenge for me, to put words together that nobody would ever think about putting together.

As a kid, I was really shy. Technically I am still, but when I'm performing I want everybody to listen.

I create, put it out, repeat. Like, me and my friends, we play Uno and Connect Four a lot. I'm having fun, and I don't care about how many times I won or lost - I just want to keep playing the game.